Webinar Programs

IFSTP in conjunction with our member societies will be hosting a series of educaitonal webinars throughout the year. All IFSTPmember societies are invited to participate in these webinars. Webinars are free, however, you must complete a registration form in advance of the meeting to be able to participate. Space is limited to 100 attendees and will be taken on first-come, first-serve basis.

PAST WEBINARS

Immunohistochemistry, an Immortal Tool: Advancing Science With Colors

Hosted by STP-I

Co-sponsored by IFSTP and IATP

December 14, 2017

Speaker: Kyathanahalli Janardhan, NTP/NIEHS

This webinar provided the basics of immunohistochemistry, and the critical variables influencing the interpretations of results in investigative and toxicologic pathology.﻿﻿

Using Electron Microscopy in

Nonclinical Studies

Hosted by STP-I

Co-sponsored by IFSTP and IATP

May 25, 2017

Speaker: Thomas Steinbach, EPL Inc.

The webinar discussed the basic processes involved in collecting a sample and producing an image from transmission electron microscopy (TEM) suitable for interpretation in nonclinical studies. The talk emphasized when it is appropriate to use TEM in a nonclinical setting, how to design a protocol that incorporates TEM and the limits of TEM analysis.

This webinar presented an introduction into dermatopathology within the scope of toxicological risk assessments. Discussions will focus on the structure and function of the skin, mechanisms of toxicity, nomenclature for morphological changes and its application in hazard characterization.﻿

This webinar covered common toxicities associated with inhibition of cellular kinases by small molecule pharmaceuticals. The human kinome is rich with targets for anticancer and immunomodulatory therapies and this presents an opportunity for toxicologists and pathologists to help the broader medical community by characterizing the roles that kinases play in tissue function. The goal of the presentation was to shed light on some of the tissue responses associated with common kinase targets, and to highlight future opportunities in understanding the role kinases play in health and disease.﻿

This webinar provided toxicologic pathologist throughout the Asia-Pacific region with a current issues update on the design of general toxicology studies specific to the interpretation of reproductive pathology findings from two highly-regarded experts. Justin Vidal discussed the evaluation of the male reproductive system in nonhuman primates focusing on the determination of sexual maturity and common spontaneous findings. Karen Regan described how to recognize early senescent changes in female rodents. .

Safety studies of drug candidates designed to treat diseases of the retina are increasingly complex. Unlike many other organs, multiple antemortem tools are available to evaluate and monitor the effects of drug candidates on ocular morphology. Microscopic evaluation of the eye in toxicity studies must take into account multiple factors, including findings from various antemortem tests. The speaker will focus on important points for pathologists to consider when evaluating the posterior segment of the eye in drug safety studies, including route of administration, ocular fixation, immunohistochemistry, and correlation of microscopic findings with findings from antemortem tests.

Role of toxicological pathology in safety assessment of human pharmaceuticals.Safety assessment of human pharmaceuticals is a multidisciplinary challenge. Pharmacologists are involved in the discovery to find a drug for the intended target, and to check for off-target effects. General toxicologists, pharmacokineticists and pathologists are working together to describe the consequences of these effects in animal models. Translational steps are important for the prediction of the safety of the compound in humans. Important safety aspects are carcinogenicity, reproductive toxicity and immunotoxicity. All these areas have an important histopathological component, and high quality reports are essential in the evaluation of these aspects. The webinar will focus on Carcinogenicity testing of human pharmaceuticals, and highlight discussions that are ongoing, especially in relation to the International Conference on Harmonization.

Pathology Techniques in Rat Neurotoxicity Studies

Hosted by STP-I

Co-Sponsored by IFSTP and IATP

Various pharmaceuticals drugs and environmental toxins have potential to cause neurotoxicity, which is manifested as an adverse effect on the structure and/or function of the nervous system. To screen for potential neurotoxicity in rats, a combination of techniques are used including functional observational battery (FOB), study of motor activity and histopathology. This webinar provided an overview of techniques used to detect histopathologicchanges in the central and peripheral nervous system. The speaker focused on important points to consider while designing and conducting neuropathological evaluation in rats including perfusion-fixation, collection of tissues (brain, spinal cord, dorsal root ganglia, peripheral nerves, and muscles), common embedding techniques and use of histochemical stains and immunohistochemical labels to detect histopathologicchanges.